


Feel the wind of love on the sky, we are birds that can't help but fly

by Anaelita



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Suki (Avatar), Bisexual Zuko (Avatar), Boys Kissing, College, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Dorks in Love, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Healthy Relationships, High School, Kissing, Long-Haired Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Multi, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oblivious Zuko (Avatar), POV Sokka (Avatar), POV Suki (Avatar), POV Zuko (Avatar), Polyamory, Relationship Discussions, Romantic Fluff, Secret Crush, also, just a little because it's Zuko I don't make the rules, kthxbye, tags for chapter 1 :, tags for chapter 2 :, tags for chapter 3 :, that's why it's called OT3, they're all stupidly smitten your honor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:21:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28707327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anaelita/pseuds/Anaelita
Summary: Just three people observing each other fall in love.
Relationships: Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Suki/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Suki/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 95





	1. Three is a crowd

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my drafts for way too long.  
> Zukki nation, this is my modest contribution :)
> 
> Title taken from _[Can't Help But Fly (the Poly Song)](https://climbingpoetree.bandcamp.com/track/cant-help-but-fly-the-poly-song) by Naima Infinity & Be Steady_.

It's been a year since Uncle Iroh took Zuko in, to keep him away from his abusive household. A year since the teen has been transferred to a new school, and a few months that he's been crushing on one of his classmates.

Sokka's hot, smart, kind of a dork sometimes but really charming, and- yeah, Zuko has it bad for him.

Then there's Suki. Top of the class, pretty, and not one to underestimate when it comes to raw physical strength. Zuko respects her. Even admires her, in a way. But he's not the only one...

The thing is, Zuko has a huge crush on Sokka, who has a huge crush on Suki and isn't exactly subtle about it.

He's an absolute goof whenever he's around her. Telling his best jokes only to trip over his words, acting like he's gonna win the lottery only to be ridiculed in a wrestling match, because Suki is just that badass.

And Zuko laughs. Because it's funny, of course, but also because it helps his heart heal.

Each time Sokka's trying to impress Suki is another reminder that he doesn't like Zuko the same way he does.

Sokka's never expressed his interest in men anyway, so there's no reason for Zuko to dwell on that, though. He shrugs the awkward feeling away and keeps laughing at the other's antics.

* * *

Sokka remains friendly, though. And he's somehow... careful with Zuko : he never approaches him by his left side, mindful of his loss of sight and hearing since that one time he noticed Zuko flinch. He never asks about his parents, ever since Zuko's mentioned he lived with his Uncle.

At first Zuko thinks it's just Sokka's way of doing things, but over the course of a couple of months he realizes that not every classmate spends as much time as he does with him. He's... kind of... privileged.

Zuko knows that he is, because Sokka also invites him to whatever party he throws, introduces him to his sister, her boyfriend and a handful of other acquaintances. He confides about each and everything that matters to him, and spends a lot of time with him, he acts like one would with... their best friend.

And much to his surprise, that's what Zuko becomes over time. At least he can spend quality time with Sokka, even manages to make him smile and laugh. That's... better than nothing. It's a bit awkward sometimes, when Sokka grabs him by the shoulders when he's excited about something, it's almost like he's yearning for more contact, and it makes something twist in Zuko's gut. But then, he breaks said contact and never, ever, crosses the thin line between a friendly touch and something more intimate.

Plus, Sokka has this very obvious crush on Suki, and he sometimes talks about her, how gorgeous and genius and awesome she is, and... who's Zuko to deny ? She really _is_ great.

So... at some point during their last year in high school, Zuko decides to play his best friend role to the maximum. He's going to help Sokka win Suki : even if it won't be with him, he can still help him be happy. He dismisses his own feelings, and asks Sokka one evening, "Why don't you ask Suki out ?"

Sokka blinks, opens his mouth as if to speak, but doesn't make a sound.

"Yeah, I mean, aren't you afraid to miss your chance if you don't try anything before college ?"

Sokka purses his lips. "I don't think she'd want me", he says at length.

Zuko has an awkward chuckle. "I can think of a reason or two why she would."

Sokka frowns. "Yeah ?"

Zuko swallows. "Hey, I'm your best friend, so trust me, okay ? I know you're a good guy, you're smart, you're kind, and I'm pretty sure Suki knows it, too." He takes a deep breath to calm his raging heartbeat. "Now, I know you always want to impress her but... why don't you try and be yourself, just tell her how you feel, and see how _that_ goes ?"

"But that makes me... weak", Sokka cringes.

"Not weak... vulnerable, maybe ? But that's not a bad thing, she might find that nice, cute even ? I don't know, I just think it'd work ", Zuko says, totally not projecting his own feelings onto Suki.

"Yeah ?" Sokka's eyes are full of hope, but there's a hint of something almost sad that has Zuko's heart tighten.

He swallows around the lump in his throat as he tries his best not to dive into his best friend's gaze. "Yeah. You should really try", he finally says, forcing a smile.

Sokka sighs, then nods. "Okay", he says at length, "I'll do that then."

* * *

A short week after, following his best friend's advice, Sokka finally musters up the courage to ask Suki out. To his delighted surprise, she accepts ! They start dating just before the end of the year, and Sokka is the proudest boyfriend ever when the young woman at his arm is crowned prom queen.

Zuko's happy for them, really is : they're looking good together, they're good to each other, they're happy and that's all that counts. Yet... there's still a dull ache in his chest whenever Sokka smiles at him, because he knows it'll never be more than that.


	2. Three is a vee

They've celebrated their first anniversary a few weeks back, and Suki is so glad, that Sokka and her found a flat on the outskirts of town. They're now renting it together, and it's close enough to the university that all of their friends regularly visit them.

Tonight it's just Zuko, and the boys are playing Mario Kart, sitting next to each other on the couch.

Suki's just done fetching fresh drinks and going back to the living room, but stops in the doorway to observe them.

"Friends don't blue shell each other !" Sokka yells, and elbows his best friend at the same time.

"That's called _skill_ , not treason", Zuko retorts, a wicked smile on his face.

Suki rolls her eyes. At times like this, everything could seem... normal, simply friendly. To an outsider, maybe... but Suki knows better.

The way Sokka seems to seek physical contact with Zuko. The way his gaze lingers on his best friend's hands when he drops the controller, or on his mouth when he sips from his drink. The way his eyes shine when Zuko laughs at one of his lame puns.

Suki knows, because she's experienced it firsthand. Sokka's always adorable, but the way he acts when he has a crush is something else, really. She softly smiles as it dawns on her that Sokka has a thing for Zuko.

And Zuko seems totally oblivious, despite the longing looks he sends him sometimes. His smile turns a bit sad whenever Sokka and her get closer, as well. He's definitely hiding something.

Suki thinks feelings are better known than bottled up. So a few nights later, when she's snuggled against her boyfriend, Sokka's head against the curve of her shoulder and her hand caressing his loose hair, she simply asks, "You really like Zuko, right ?"

Sokka stiffens a little in her arms. "Uh, sure. He's... my best friend", he answers.

Suki softly sighs. "I think you like him more than that", she quietly says, and Sokka stills against her. She insistently threads her fingers in his hair, wishing her movements as soothing as possible. "It's okay. Actually... I find it kind of adorable ."

Sokka lifts his head and apologetically looks at her. "I'm an open book to you, that's no fair." He sighs. "Isn't that weird, though ? That I'm having a crush on someone else ? I mean, I'm already lucky to have you and- what am I supposed to do ? Is this normal ?"

Suki rolls her eyes with fond exasperation, and explains, a grin playing at the corners of her lips, "You know you have two hands, right ?"

Sokka frowns, cocks his head to the side in interrogation.

"One for me, and one for another ?", she smiles. "I don't mind that you like Zuko. You're my sweet bisexual boyfriend, and I think it's cute that you have feelings for your best friend", Suki kisses him. She fully supports Sokka : love comes in many ways and she's certainly not one to judge.

"Thanks, but... I don't think that'll work."

Suki frowns. "Why is that ?"

"He... basically pushed me into your arms just before prom night so. Yeah... I really don't think he's into me. He's... my best friend, and that's it."

"Aw, sweetheart. You haven't seen the way he looks at you."

"What ?" Sokka frowns again.

Suki feels a soft smile curving her lips. She kisses Sokka's forehead. "I think you have your chances. And, well... You'll never know until you try."

Sokka hugs her tighter, murmurs "Thanks, I love you" against her skin.

* * *

The next couple of times when they meet with Zuko, Sokka taps out : he just can't bring himself to confess his feelings. Those nights, he's happy to spend some time with his best friend, even happier that his girlfriend is so awesome that she's actually supporting him, yet he can't find it in him to reveal both his bisexuality and his attraction to his best bro. He ends up curled against Suki's body at night, complaining about it and about how frustrated he is with himself.

But Suki loves her disaster bi of a boyfriend and wants him to be happy, so she decides to help him a little. The following time Zuko comes by their place, she has Zuko sit next to Sokka on the couch while she fetches drinks, and when she's back she sits in front of them and deliberately diverts the conversation, hoping Sokka will use the opening. "I was telling Sokka earlier, I read a really interesting article on bisexual erasure."

Zuko blinks, cocks his head to the side in interrogation.

Sokka cringes, averts his eyes.

Suki sips on her beer. "Says that bi people are often reduced to the relationship they have _at the moment_ , and that hit home so hard ! I mean, my family considers me straight because I'm with Sokka, but I'm still bi... Oh, and imagine if they knew I'm polyamorous ! "

Zuko's eyes squint just a little. " Poly... amorous ?"

Sokka warily glances at Zuko, a tinge of dark pink adorning his cheeks.

Suki practically sees her boyfriend's gears turning full speed. She goes on, "Yeah. I don't think there's a limit to how much somebody can love. For one, I've always wondered, why stop myself from giving more, when I can ?"

Zuko seems surprised to learn about that. His gaze focuses on a point over Suki's shoulder, as if he's embarrassed to hear about such a thing.

Yet Suki continues. "And wouldn't that be awful if I forbade the one I love, to love more ? Seriously."

Zuko cautiously says, "I guess that makes sense."

Suki virtually _sees_ Sokka's brain scrambling for anything to say. She has a soft sigh as she realizes that maybe today wasn't the day after all. "Anyway, I'll send you that article if you want", she tells Zuko in hope said article would enable a talk about bisexuality, "how about-"

But then, Sokka fully turns to Zuko, straightens his back a little, takes a deep breath and, with an awkward smile, blurts out, "I really like you."

Zuko blinks a few times, shakes his head in disbelief as he connects the dots. Then he audibly swallows, turns his head to squint at Suki and asks, "And... this is... okay ?"

Suki grins as Zuko doesn't seem put off by the idea of Sokka liking him. "Of course it is." She sighs. "When I was in middle school I had two girlfriends. They weren't dating but... they knew about each other and things were fine."

Zuko turns to a now heavily blushing Sokka. He has a crooked smile as he next tells him, "I've... had a crush on you since high school ?"

Sokka's eyes widen in surprise. "Wait, what ?" He instantly brightens up when he realizes, "You mean you like me back ?!"

Zuko nods, a soft look on his face. "Yeah", he breathes out.

Sokka excitedly turns to his girlfriend, stars in his eyes.

Suki softly gazes at him, she was right to think that Zuko was hiding something and she's glad she could help those two dorks realize their feelings were reciprocated. "Go kiss him, goofball."

Sokka swiftly turns back to his best friend, biting his lower lip.

Zuko's eyes flicker to his mouth and he leans in, closing the little distance between them.

Suki watches, amused, as her boyfriend almost melts at the contact.

* * *

Zuko starts visiting Sokka and Suki more often from then on.

When the three of them cuddle in bed, Suki is usually the big spoon and Zuko the small one. Either way Sokka is always the middle spoon, he says he's the happiest man ever.

Suki counters, saying he's the sappiest, and Zuko joins her in her good-natured teasing.

Sokka falls asleep faster when Zuko stays over for the night, calls him his "personal heater".

Suki takes another liking to Zuko. He's really a nice guy, and even if he's got quite the temper, she finds a softer side in him when he's cuddling with Sokka, and he's doing good by her as long as he takes care of their dorkly boyfriend.

They also bond over making fun of Sokka's starry eyes whenever he's snugly installed between the two of them. Sometimes their hands brush against each other when they're hugging Sokka, and it's okay.

* * *

One day, Suki comes back from her Tessenjutsu classes, and the boys are napping, snugly nestled against each other on the bed. Suki quietly approaches them and sits beside little spoon Sokka, careful not to wake him up.

Zuko is wrapped around Sokka's dormant body, enveloping him in his warmth, his hand above his boyfriend's heart.

Suki can't help a soft smile at seeing them so cozy, she finds them cute together like this. She caresses Sokka's hair, they're down and she guesses it's because Zuko asked that Sokka untied his wolftail. She likes him like this, too.

Zuko's hair is down as well, she notices after a short while.

She idly wonders if they're as silky as they look, and absentmindedly threads a hand through them.

Zuko slowly blinks awake, notices the hand in his hair that can't be Sokka's, curiously looks up at her.

Suki keeps playing with his hair, her smile widens. "You're cute, too." She leans in and softly kisses him on the cheek. She doesn't know why, but she feels like giving Zuko some attention, too, right now. It's innocent, it's just her way of thanking him for being such a nice boyfriend to Sokka.

Zuko closes his eyes and lets a soft smile grow on his face.

From then on, the little touches when their hands meet last a bit longer, lingering and hopeful. Suki feels something warm bloom in her chest whenever Zuko's golden eyes dive into hers, and she realizes she might be falling just a little for her boyfriend's boyfriend.


	3. Three is a triad

Sokka is ecstatic since he has two beautifully wonderful people in his life. He gets to be the middle spoon, best spot _ever_ and he's showered in love by one or his other lover. He feels like he really is the luckiest man on the planet : being able to openly love two people makes him feel like his heart grew another size. Who knew he'd finally feel complete with both Suki and Zuko by his side ?

* * *

It's one of those now customary lazy Sunday afternoons where Sokka's snugly installed on the couch, resting on both his lovers, his head on Suki's thighs and his legs over Zuko's.

As she often does, Suki has one hand in his hair, absentmindedly playing with them. Her other hand rests on his chest.

Zuko's gazing down at Sokka, tenderly intertwines his fingers with his boyfriend's, while his other hand gently squeezes his thigh.

Sokka closes his eyes in delight. Zuko's hand is warm in his. He nuzzles his nose against Suki, just to get even closer to her. He's the happiest ever and nothing in the world could be better than that. He could almost doze off, like this, but then the gentle touches stop, Zuko's and Suki's hands not moving anymore and one of each actually leaving him, prompting him to open his eyes and frown at his boyfriend.

Zuko wears the softest of smiles, adoringly looking at Suki.

Sokka gasps and snaps his head at his girlfriend, who's sporting her sweetest grin. He glances down at their two hands, fingers intertwined. He inhales a sharp breath and murmurs, heart swelling, "Oh, my loves..."

Suki leans in.

So does Zuko, and they kiss above their boyfriend's approving and loving gaze.

Tears of joy prickle at the corners of his eyes. He swears his heart is going to burst from emotion, because he's surrounded by love, and he never knew he could be even happier than just a minute ago. When his lovers lean back, a cute blush on their cheeks, Sokka looks at them, and says, voice laced with emotion, "Oh, I love you so much."

"Yeah", Zuko breathes out with a grin, "Me too."

Suki has a happy chuckle and kisses Sokka. "Me three."

* * *

Zuko opens himself a little more now that Suki displays love and care for him, too. He smiles and blushes more often, too, which Sokka finds adorable.

Suki gets her fair share of attentions as well, and often mentions how much she loves them both.

Sokka is, more often than not, contemplating the situation and wondering how he got so lucky to share his life with both of them. Things can't get any better !

Until Suki says, one sunny day where they're all resting on the bed, "Dividing the rent by three instead of two could be nice, what do you say, loves ?"

Zuko throws an arm around them both, tightens his embrace and murmurs against Suki's shoulder, "I'd be honored."

Sokka takes an extra minute to put two and two together, and finds himself so happy he tears up a little. "Yes, sure, yes! Please, I want this."

The night Zuko moves in with them, Sokka trades his place as middle spoon with him, because he knows they're all part of a whole either way.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading !
> 
> Feedback welcomed :)


End file.
